Texas Jumps to No. 3 in Coaches Poll After 59-7 Week 1 Rout

Texas football opened the 2026 season with the kind of performance that moves a team up the national rankings.

The Longhorns climbed to No. 3 in the Week 2 Coaches Poll after dismantling Texas State 59-7 at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium.

MORE: Texas' Steve Sarkisian Previews Longhorns Matchup with WR Jeremiah Smith, Ohio State 'Weapons'

Ohio State sits at No. 1, Georgia is No. 2 and Texas now occupies the third spot after one of the most dominant Week 1 performances in the country.

Quarterback Arch Manning gave voters plenty to notice.

Manning completed 20 of 27 passes for 305 yards and four touchdowns, matching a career high in touchdown passes.

He connected with eight different receivers as Texas finished with 516 total yards and scored on eight of nine offensive possessions.

Ryan Wingo led the receiving group with seven catches for 121 yards and a touchdown, while Cam Coleman made an immediate impact in his Texas debut with three catches for 70 yards and two scores.

The Longhorns also got production on the ground. Hollywood Smothers rushed for 70 yards on 10 carries, while Raleek Brown scored twice on rushing plays of 13 and 21 yards.

Texas didn’t just dominate offensively.

The defense forced three turnovers, including a 59-yard fumble return for a touchdown by Graceson Littleton, and held Texas State to seven points.

The Bobcats finished with 349 yards, but much of that production came after Texas had already built a commanding lead.

The victory also extended Texas’ winning streak against nonconference opponents from the state of Texas to 39 games, a run that dates back to 1968.

The rise to No. 3 comes as several other national contenders produced mixed results in Week 1.

Oregon survived Boise State 34-27, while Michigan escaped Western Michigan 13-12 on a dramatic final play. LSU made one of the biggest statements of the weekend with a 51-10 rout of Clemson.

Texas, meanwhile, took care of business without much drama.

That becomes especially important now.

MORE: Bayliss Flynn Wins SEC Defensive Honor After Texas Shuts Out TCU

The Longhorns’ next test is considerably bigger, with a showdown against No. 1 Ohio State looming. A Week 1 blowout won’t define Texas’ season, but it reinforced why Steve Sarkisian’s team entered 2026 with championship expectations.

Now ranked third nationally, the Longhorns won’t have to wait long to find out whether they belong at the very top.